Kais stood before an enormous mountain.
But it was not an ordinary mountain.
Its entire surface had been carved, making it resemble a legendary palace more than a mountain.
Before it stood a massive gate.
A gate without doors.
Only a gigantic frame of white and golden stone.
The Royal Mage stepped forward.
The guard moved at his right side, while Kais followed behind them.
The moment all three passed through the gate—
Click!
Two enormous torches on either side of the wall ignited.
Thick torches several meters tall.
Golden flames burned within them.
Click!
With the old man's next step, two more torches lit up.
Click!
Then two more.
Every time the Royal Mage took a step, two more torches along the corridor came to life.
Golden light danced across the stone walls and drove back the darkness.
Kais silently observed his surroundings.
"This place feels completely different from the Forbidden Forest... It feels ancient... and smells of... power."
They traveled through the vast corridors for a short while until they finally arrived at another gate.
Unlike the first gate, this one was closed.
A massive and magnificent gate covered entirely in ancient carvings.
The Royal Mage stopped before it.
He struck his staff against the ground.
Click!
Then shouted loudly:
"The Royal Mage requests permission to enter!"
Several moments of silence followed.
Then—
Vooooooom...
The gate began to tremble.
Its two massive halves slowly moved apart.
A brilliant light shone from beyond.
The path was open.
The Royal Mage entered.
The guard followed behind him.
Kais stepped inside as well.
And at that very moment...
He froze.
A gigantic corridor stretched before him.
Without a single guard.
A corridor lined with towering pillars on both sides.
But the pillars were not round.
Each resembled a gigantic black diamond carved to perfection.
The golden lights from the ceiling reflected across their polished surfaces.
And at the end of that magnificent corridor...
The Golden Elf King's throne shone with breathtaking splendor; crafted from living gold and adorned with jewels that sparkled like stars.
The king sat upon the throne.
One hand rested beneath his chin.
His expression looked completely bored.
As though nothing in this world interested him anymore.
Beside the main throne stood a smaller throne.
A boy sat upon it.
He had silver eyes.
But his skin was gray.
He too stared forward with a bored expression.
But Kais paid him no attention.
Because his gaze was locked onto the king.
And the longer he looked...
The colder he felt.
"That aura...?!"
It was not something that could be called an aura.
It was like staring into an infinite sun.
A tremendous power.
Endless.
A power beyond imagination.
Kais felt as if he were standing before a god.
His breath caught in his chest.
His body stiffened involuntarily.
At that moment...
The Royal Mage and the guard knelt simultaneously.
But Kais remained standing.
Staring at the king.
The Royal Mage frowned.
Grabbed him.
And suddenly forced him downward.
Boom!
Kais's knees slammed against the floor.
"Kneel before the king, mortal human."
Yet even then...
Kais could not take his eyes off the king.
The three of them once again stood before the royal throne.
Hands behind their backs.
Heads lowered.
But one person was different.
Kais.
His head remained raised.
His eyes remained fixed on the king.
And the longer he looked...
The worse he felt.
"What is this...?"
His throat had gone dry.
"His power has no limits..."
His breathing became heavier.
"It feels like... he's devouring the power of everyone around him..."
Every aura within the hall seemed insignificant compared to the king.
Like a drop against an ocean.
The king continued sitting lazily upon his throne.
One hand beneath his chin.
His gaze looked tired.
As though he had not seen anything interesting for a thousand years.
The Royal Mage stepped forward.
He bowed his head.
"Your Majesty, the mission was successful."
The king didn't even react.
He simply replied in a tired voice:
"Good."
Silence.
The Royal Mage continued:
"As predicted, the signs were correct."
"Hm."
"We lured him into the Forbidden Forest."
"Hm."
"He showed remarkable resistance."
"Hm."
Kais raised an eyebrow.
The king wasn't even looking.
It was as if he wasn't listening at all.
The Royal Mage paused briefly.
Then said softly:
"Your Majesty..."
"Hm..."
The Royal Mage continued:
"This boy possesses the Founder's power."
Silence.
The king lifted his head and locked his gaze onto Kais.
Even the gray-skinned boy on the smaller throne looked up.
The Royal Mage continued:
"The Founder's power has reincarnated within his body."
...
Several seconds of absolute silence.
Then...
The corner of the king's lips rose.
A crooked smile.
Small.
Yet strange.
Suddenly the pressure within the hall multiplied several times over.
The king slowly rose to his feet.
Vooooom...
His massive cloak dragged across the floor.
He wore magnificent heavy armor.
Upon its chest was engraved the royal symbol of the Golden Elves.
(The Golden Phoenix Crest.)
The same symbol that had represented their royal bloodline for thousands of years.
The sound of his footsteps echoed through the hall.
Tap...
Tap...
Tap...
He walked toward Kais.
And with every step...
The fear inside Kais grew stronger.
For the first time in his life...
His instincts wanted him to run.
"What is this...?"
His heart pounded wildly.
"Why... can't I stay calm...?"
Tap...
Tap...
Tap...
The king drew closer.
And closer.
The Royal Mage immediately knelt.
The guard lowered his head and knelt as well.
But Kais...
Remained standing.
His body trembled.
But he did not kneel.
The king finally stopped directly before him.
Less than a meter separated them.
Kais had to tilt his head upward to look at his face.
And at that very moment...
The king's aura descended directly upon him.
As if a mountain had fallen onto his shoulders.
Breathing became difficult.
Yet despite that...
He did not lower his eyes.
The king stared at him silently for several seconds.
Then his faint smile deepened.
And for the first time, he spoke directly to Kais:
"So..."
His eyes gleamed.
"I've finally found you... Heir of the Founder."
The hall fell silent.
The king stood directly before Kais.
His eyes remained fixed on him without the slightest change.
Several seconds passed.
Then suddenly he said:
"I want to see the Founder's power. Remove his restraints."
The Royal Mage lifted his head.
"Your Majesty?"
The king never took his eyes off Kais.
"I said remove his cuffs."
...
Silence.
The guard was the first to react.
"Your Majesty, that is dangerous."
The Royal Mage immediately added:
"But Your Majesty, he possesses the Founder's power."
The king cast them both a brief, bored glance.
"I know."
The Royal Mage spoke again:
"If he loses control—"
The king cut him off.
"I am your king as well... Do what I said."
His voice was not loud.
But it left no room for argument.
The hall fell silent once more.
The guard glanced at the Royal Mage.
They stared at one another briefly.
Then the old mage slowly nodded.
The guard took a deep breath.
And approached Kais.
...
Kais had gone rigid.
But his mind was working rapidly.
"What?"
His gaze shifted between the king and the guard.
"Why does he want the cuffs removed?"
His heart raced.
"What is he planning?"
But a moment later...
A thought flashed through his mind.
"It doesn't matter."
His eyes sharpened.
"The moment those cuffs come off..."
He slowly clenched his fist.
"I'll summon the Ice Spirit."
His breathing grew heavier.
"And escape from here."
The guard stopped before him.
He placed a hand on the first lock.
Click!
The lock opened.
One cuff fell away from Kais's wrist.
At that very moment...
A faint stream of energy flowed through his body.
Kais's eyes lit up.
"I can feel it..."
His power.
For the first time since his capture, it flowed again.
The guard placed his hand on the second cuff.
The Royal Mage frowned involuntarily.
Even the gray-skinned boy was now completely focused on the scene.
Click!
The second cuff opened.
And at that very instant—
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
A colossal explosion of golden light erupted from Kais's body.
The entire hall trembled.
The black pillars were swallowed by golden radiance.
A wave of power blasted outward.
Cloaks whipped violently in the air.
And a golden mist covered the entire hall.
No one could be seen.
Only light.
Only energy.
Only golden mist.
...
Several seconds passed.
The mist slowly began to fade.
The shadows gradually reappeared.
The pillars became visible again.
The royal throne emerged from the haze.
And at the center of the hall...
Where Kais had been standing...
A vague figure could be seen within the final remnants of golden mist.
Something within that energy had changed.
Something that, for the first time in many long years...
Caused even the Royal Mage's eyes to widen slightly in astonishment.